The Dallas Fort Worth area has a lot to offer. The food scene is top notch, the nightlife is unparalleled, the museums are impressive and business is booming. When compared to cities such as Austin, Houston or New Orleans it is easy to see why so many people choose to live in Dallas. However, there still seems to be something missing for an SMU senior with a big plan. This plan, if all goes smoothly, could mean a DFW music festival. Continue reading
Author Archives: Hollis Byram
Amazon Cancelled Its Rumored Live TV Streaming Service
As technology evolves, more and more people are cutting the cords on cable and satellite in favor of streaming services. When was the last time someone asked you to “Comcast and chill?” A recent survey from GfK found that 30% of US Millennials don’t use cable or satellite.
Competition among streaming services increases as more companies launch their own versions. Until today, consumers believed that one company was stepping up their game. That changed with the announcement that Amazon cancelled its rumored live TV streaming service. Continue reading
Twitter Launched Promoted Tweets with Promote Mode
Many businesses profit from advertisements on social media platforms. Almost all social media ads are specially tailored to each user. Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram frequently post and publish paid ads in order to generate revenue. A new name officially deserves to be added to that list.Twitter launched promoted tweets today for public beta in the US and the UK. The monthly subscription fee is the only caveat. Continue reading
Political Involvement Creates Digital Distrust
Just Google it. No one really questions Google’s answers. Today, 62% of US adults get their news from social media. Why shouldn’t they when Facebook and Twitter promote the freedom of expression and the spread of information? There was no real reason to question the validity and ethics of Google, Facebook or Twitter until now. 
The 2016 presidential election proves that political involvement creates digital distrust. The recent allegations against these large tech companies will only generate more skepticism as the investigations continue. Continue reading
Custom Facebook Avatars Will Be Exceptionally Accurate
It is no secret that people like creating cartoon versions of themselves. Previous examples of this trend are the Sims videogame, the Mii feature on the Wii console, caricature drawings at a carnival and so on. Currently, the most popular trend in custom cartoons is Bitmoji. Bitmoji became so popular, in fact, that in 2016 it teamed up with Snapchat to further personalize users’ snaps. 
However, the newest update on the avatar craze comes from Facebook. New technology has been created that can generate custom Facebook avatars for you simply by taking a picture. Continue reading
Snapchat Teen Usage Continues to Lead
The world of social media is competitive. It is hard to get ahead, and stay ahead, with so many different platforms. The competition does not seem to faze Snapchat. Numbers don’t lie, and the latest numbers show us that Snapchat teen usage is at an all time high. Why are so many teens choosing this platform over all others? Can the company maintain their success, or is it simply 15 minutes of fame? Continue reading
Why Google Plus Is Failing
Many people are familiar with the social networking platform Google Plus. 
The basics are pretty much the same as every other networking site, but why don’t you know anyone who uses it? There are many questions surrounding the enigma that is Google Plus. With the name and reputation it possesses, everyone wants to know why Google Plus is failing. Continue reading
Banned Instagram Hashtags Could Mean Low Engagement
We live in a #hashtag world. There is no denying it. A single hashtag opens the door to hundreds of thousands of posts on the same subject. An Instagram caption is not complete without a few hashtags thrown into the mix. People in the wedding industry even make a profit off of helping couples create their perfect wedding hashtag. Brands use specific hashtags to attract more customers and clients. It might come as a shock, however, to learn that not all hashtags are allowed. A recent list of banned Instagram hashtags comes with consequences for users who include them in their posts. Continue reading
The New Snapchat Animated Bitmoji Has Users Dancing
Almost every Millennial remembers how exciting it was to create a Mii on the Wii game console. A tiny little version of you appeared on the virtual court as you played a tennis match in your living room. You might be lying if you say you never made a Sims version of yourself in the early 2000’s. Today’s version of Sims and Miis are called Bitmojis. After years of creating virtual look-alikes, the Snapchat animated Bitmoji feature finally brings them to life.
This or That: Snapchat and Instagram Stories
Whether we like it or not, we live in a world where it is more common to take a picture of our lunch than a picture of our family. It is almost expected of us to post on social media about whatever cool event we attended so that all of our followers can see how fun our Friday night was. Snapchat and Instagram Stories give users the unique ability to basically live stream every moment of their day. The two features seem identical, but there are a few small differences that set the two apart from each other.